Support Environmental Science When It Matters Most
At a time when science is under threat — with widespread funding cuts, job losses, and shrinking research capacity — we need to seize this moment to work together to not just maintain, but expand society’s scientific capacity. As a community leader and connector for scientists and practitioners from government, academia, the private sector, and non-profit organizations, NCEAS stands ready to turn the tide. NCEAS facilitates the critical science necessary to inform environmental solutions, while providing opportunities for the next generation of problem solvers to work on the most pressing environmental challenges, helping both people and the planet.
As NCEAS celebrates our 30th Anniversary, we stand uniquely poised to catalyze positive change for a more sustainable future. Our model is effective, and we have proven our ability to scale the model quickly. Our plan this year is to grow, not shrink, expanding further as resources become available. We are excited to share that a generous supporter has made a pledge of $50,000 in matching funds to kick-start our efforts. With increased demand for NCEAS services, we have many projects that are ready to launch.
Please join us in support of these important efforts, contributions at all levels make a difference. Donate here, or contact Sarah Sikich directly at sarahsikich@ucsb.edu. Our planet needs you now more than ever.
Meeting the moment:
1) Help us fund additional Morpho Working Groups
NCEAS is one of the last places offering funding and shared community for high-impact, cross-cutting science. There has been an overwhelming surge in demand this year for Morpho Working Groups — a 500% increase in proposals over last year. A majority of these proposals are dedicated to using AI for environmental problem solving and protecting biodiversity. NCEAS has committed $250,000 to support Morpho Working Groups in 2025, helping tackle some of the biggest environmental challenges of our time. We need support for more. In a moment of instability, NCEAS is an anchor.
2) Support additional 2-year Postdocs
NCEAS has been one of the premier places in the world to be a postdoc. We have hosted nearly 200 to date, and many have gone on to become global leaders in environmental science. NCEAS’ postdoctoral researcher applications this year have dramatically increased, nearly 3-fold over last year, and we have had the strongest cohort of candidates to date. With the loss of funding and jobs across the scientific community over the last few months, NCEAS is committed to providing opportunities for promising early career scientists to build their skills and network when it is needed the most.
A postdoc is perhaps the most critical phase of the scientific career pathway. It is a pivot point that propels scientists into the rest of their careers, or if unavailable, turns them away forever. The last global recession of 2008/09 created a cohort gap of postdocs. Anything we can do now to continue providing postdoc positions can help.
With your partnership, NCEAS can be more than a refuge — we can be a force for rebuilding, innovation, and resilience. Now is the time to invest in the people and science our future depends on.
NCEAS: Solutions-oriented environmental science grounded in big-picture thinking
Over the last 30 years, NCEAS has been a trusted partner - mobilizing leaders in ecology and environmental science to tackle research that informs solutions. We transformed the culture and practice of environmental science to be more open and interdisciplinary. Now we are harnessing our decades of experience to help lead the next revolution towards AI-enabled environmental science. We are training individuals and teams to engage in big-picture science that extracts value out of existing data to address environmental challenges. The NCEAS working group model, which brings together experts to share information focused on specific environmental issues, is proven to effectively and efficiently drive results and catalyze solutions. NCEAS has hosted nearly 400 working groups and engaged nearly 10,000 people from more than 70 countries around the world in science that helps both people and the planet.
📞 Contact:
Sarah Sikich
Senior Director of Development
📧 sarahsikich@ucsb.edu | 📱 (805) 893-3988